PROCEEDI^^GS OP SECTION D. 481 



E. amygdalina, though a typical cold country tree, seems to favor 

 an easterly rather than a westerly aspect. 



It is interesting to note the number of Tasmanian species — several 

 of them eucalypts — which are found on the elevated parts of New 

 South Wales, the greatest quantity occurring on Mount Kosciusko, as 

 recorded by Mr. J. H. Maiden (7). 



The fact of so many cold region plants being met with in crossing 

 the mountains affords a striking object lesson in the dominating in- 

 fluence of climate. Here we pass through a zone of vegetation quite 

 a thousand miles long ; but, although commencing at sea-level at the 

 southern end, gradually ascends, owing to the increasing warmth of 

 northern latitudes, until its minimum elevation at the northern ex- 

 tremity is about 3,000ft. 



THE WESTERN SLOPES. 



The area described as the western slopes forms a gradation from 

 the mountains to the plains, and has a less rainfall than either the 

 coastal or mountain division. Its eastern margin practically coincides 

 with that of Eucalyptus albens, Mig. (white or grey box), and nowhere 

 in New South Wales is any particular zone of temperature better 

 defined by the vegetation over such a distance than along the eastern 

 edge of these white box trees. This species seems to slightly prefer 

 an ig-neous to a sedimentary formation, but may be found on both, 

 and is usually looked upon as an indication of good wheat-producing 

 country. Its distribution throughout the length of the State affords 

 an excellent illustration of the gradual change of climate from south 

 to north. In the south it is seldom found above an elevation of 1,500ft., 

 but in the north it often ascends to upwards of 2,500ft., and in places 

 reaches 3,000ft. 



The flora which properly belongs to the western slopes provides 

 one of the best possible examples of how plants which are amenable 

 to climate will seek out suitable zones of temperature. In the south 

 these plants keep well down on the western foothills of the main range, 

 but in their northerly progress every advantage is taken of the in- 

 creasing warmth of northern latitudes until, near the border of the State, 

 some manage to ascend to the low parts of the mountain tops and 

 over to the eastern watershed on the Upper Clarence. 



Where the hills are lowest along the main range, near the central 

 part previously alluded to, the flora from the western slopes simply 

 swarms over on to the Upper Hunter in conformity with the tempera- 

 ture ; but the western plants gradually diminish in numbers as the 

 valley is descended and eastern influence encountered, though even so 

 far down as Singleton such trees as Eucih/ptus rostrnta, Schl. (Murray 

 red gum), and Casuarina Luehmanni, E. T. Baker (bull oak), may be 

 found, both of which extend to South Australia. 



On the western slopes much of the country is of an open forest 

 character, particularly where the formation is composed of igneous 

 rocks, the sedimentary areas being numerically richer in species. 



Eucalyptus macrorrhyncha, F. v. M., the common stringybark of 

 the western slopes, shows a distinct preference for the sedimentary 

 h2 



